


you're just like a dream

by spaace



Category: IT (2017)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2019-01-28 15:01:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12609252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaace/pseuds/spaace
Summary: richie and mike reminisce about things that were, and work on things that could be





	you're just like a dream

**Author's Note:**

> feel free to follow me on tumblr !! @wyattghouleff

richie tozier was the only one of his friends who didn't have a car. it didn't bother him much, as his friends were nice enough to pick him up if he needed a ride to work, or just for a parked car conversation late at night. it used to be richie and bill together, like they did most everything, but his parents gifted him a vehicle for his 18th birthday and he more than gladly placed old, reliable silver in a safe corner of the garage soon after. richie sat shot gun in the sweet red honda civic since then, arm hanging out the window.

but he couldn't ask bill for a ride today, not when he's last minute gift shopping for him. richie couldn't ask anyone, really, as they were all busy today. he's been real spoiled lately, having a plethora of chauffeurs to choose from, but his feet served him well. the walk to the little antique shop the friends thrifted at together wasn't far from richie's house, but he must've taken a wrong turn somewhere because he was face to face with an old record shop. it was not his desired destination, but he shrugged and pushed through the glass door anyways. 

he walked down the only skinny aisle in the middle of rows and rows of nothing but records, old and new. the walls had with fading band posters that were overlapping each other, turned in every direction, and there was a small selection of cassette tapes in a corner of the room. the checkerboard tile floor squeaked beneath richie's yellow converse, the squeaking went silent as he stopped dead in his tracks. he stood in the seemingly empty store in the middle of the aisle, just long enough to distinguish what was playing through the speakers. the sounds of the temptations flooded his senses and he sighed a bit, relaxing. the same song played in the waiting room of his father's dentist office when he visited him at work, and they requested it on jukeboxes when they would eat lunch after church, as a family - bittersweet memories.

however, richie's spirits were instantly lifted when he stumbled across the cure's disintegration album. pictures of you was bill's favorite song, boys don't cry was richie's, and they took turns belting the lyrics when had a little extra time to take the back roads home from school. it was a no brainer this was the perfect gift, so he made his way to the counter. richie was just about to clear his throat lightly for someone to help, but just then, someone popped from behind a self on the other side of the counter, and his breath caught in his throat.

"mike?"

"hey, rich," mike hanlon grinned behind the counter. richie laid the vinyl down on the counter and as star struck as he was, reached across with no hesitation. mike chuckled under his breath as richie brushed his thumb against his eyebrow, admiring tiny vertical cuts.

"yowza, when did this happen?" richie asked, now with mike's jaw in his hand as he turned his head ever so slightly to the left, just to get a better look, and mike turned his head with no problem. the two boys didn't have some dramatic falling out, it's only been a year since the two saw each other, but for richie, it felt a lot longer. mike had never been lucky enough to convince his parents into letting him attend derry high with his friends, and by sophomore year, he quit trying. the hanlon farm wasn't too far outside of town but richie just never seemed to have the time to bike over. 

"beverly helped me with it," mike smiled as he explained, his face still in richie's hand. 

"you still hang out with beverly?" richie asked, genuinely shocked. his face was close to mike's as he looked closer at the brow, he could smell mike's aftershave.

mike laughed and finally pulled out of richie's grasp. "yeah, she's the only one who still comes and visits,"

richie could tell he was joking, but he still felt a bit hurt. richie liked mike, always had. he made sure mike didn't trail too far behind the group when the went out and caught a movie, when the sidewalk was too narrowed as they walked, he always pushed mike in front of him. richie and beverly were close, and he couldn't believe she never mentioned mike when they cut class to share a cigarette. he tried to laugh too, though

mike scanned the sticker on the back of the album, and didn't bother to bag it. 

"do you remember-" he paused to laugh, "remember the time eddie and stan argued with us over who was better?"

richie nodded, smiling stretching across his face. he remembered all too well. the four boys occupied a booth at the small breakfast diner near the arcade and eddie used all his pocket change to request handsome devil by the smiths on the jukebox. they argued for so long over which band was better, their milkshakes had melted and blended themselves with the whip cream, overly sweet cherry stained the glass red.

he shrugged his shoulders a bit, adjusting his glasses, and said simply, "we won that contest."

"hell yeah, we did." mike laughed, and the two boys high fived. "just like heaven is better than anything morrisey's ever written."

this is one conversation richie could dive into. "it's so rare for smith to be in a romantic, happy mood. that's why the song is so perfect." richie said like it's been rehearsed, leaning against the counter on one arm

"it's perfect, but like-" 

"still something wistful about it, you know?"

mike nodded, smiling softly. "yeah. something that makes you feel like it won't last," and richie nodded, too.

richie took a glance at the retro wall clock above them on the wall, then to his wrist watch. it just happened to be 7 o'clock on the dot, but he wasn't too sure when this place closed. or if mike would even take richie up on the invitation he was struggling to offer him, this being the first time in a while the two have bumped into each other. he bit his lip, hesitant for only a second, then spoke.

"hey, i'm not sure when you close up shop," he noticed mike curiously raise a brow, the one with the slits in it, and richie's voice gave up on him. he cleared his throat. "do you wanna hang out, or something?"

mike took a look at his own watch. "would you look at that?" he said with a laugh, "i close up shop at 7 on sundays, rich. perfect timing."

he instructioned richie to wait outside the shop as he cleaned up a bit, and richie obligated. he used the small wait as a quick smoke break. richie watched mike move up and down the aisle through the shop windows, he moved quickly, like it was routine, or like he was ready to meet richie outside. he shuffled through records, reorganizing them and mumbling to himself. when mike looked up and caught richie staring, he laughed and shook his head, then waved to him through the glass. richie couldn't hear him, but mike's perfect smile made him feel some sort of way. he waved back, then looked towards the ground.

richie didn't raise his head when he heard the shop door close or the keys jiggle as mike locked it behind him, he just took one last long drag of the cigarette between his lips.

"where are we heading, exactly?" mike asked, shoving his hands into his jean pockets. 

richie crushed the cigarette under his heel and pointed down the street. "here, follow me." he began to walk, but stopped at the traffic light when he didn't hear any foot steps behind him.

mike laughed. "you sure you don't wanna... i don't know, drive there?"

richie shook his head, then slapped his palm against his forehead. "fuck, i forgot. everyone had a car besides me."

the drive was shorter and more convenient than the walk on derry's tattered sidewalks would've ever been. richie directed mike to a little comic book store, just a walk down a set of stairs made of brick hidden under a two family house. it's a cute little hole in the wall kind of place, that only two old friends could know about it.

mike laughed as they approached the place, he eyed the flickering neon superman logo in the window. "this place hasn't closed down?"

richie patted his back pockets, then dug around in his jacket pockets to pull out a set of keys. "god, i hope not. i'd be out of a job then, hanlon."

once inside, richie flipped the switch and a couple of fluorescent light fixtures flicked a bit before turning on. the shop was small, and looks like it always has to richie, but mike's eyes widened like a child in a candy shop, memories flooding back. 

mike took a few steps forward, head turning in all directions to admire the old store, before pausing and taking a step back. "don't tell me, rich," he began, kneeling down to expect the old carpet. "is this seriously the stain from when you spilled your slushie?"

it was a hot summer day in derry and richie refused to listen to the shop owners, trying his best to sneak in giant gulp 7/11 cup under his t-shirt. mike couldn't keep from snickering and it eventually diverted attention to the two sneaky boys. richie tried to elbow mike, maybe get him to shut up, but he spilled his drink instead, the drink he spent all his pocket change on. it stained his shirt and the comic book store's outdated roller rink carpet.

richie squatted next to mike and put a hand on his shoulder, "that it is, friend. the cheap bastards that own this place never replaced the carpet."

the memory made mike feel warm and fuzzy inside, as silly as it may have been to remembered something like that. he laughed and shook his head, in a way like he couldn't believe it, then stood back up to inspect the rest of the store.

richie toyed with a shelve of figurines close to the front of the shop as mike wandered the place. they were small, cheap figurines, not worthy enough to be locked behind glass. richie was rearranging them into sorts of action poses, almost finished by the time mike traveled back to him. mike didn't bother him, though. he pivoted towards the counter by the cash register, where loads of little trinkets and shiny things were locked below glass. under the surface of the counter, there were tiny pins and buttons with logos on them, patches, bumper stickers and belt buckles.

"it's crazy they hired you," mike's voice took richie's attention, and he turned his head to watch as mike the items locked away, hovering his finger above the glass. "that they didn't recognize your goofy face. i would personally ban you from the record shop."

he slipped behind the counter and stood in front of mike, glass case in between them. he propped his arms on the counter and rested his head in his hands. "you wouldn't have to worry about me, mike. your record shop has tile floor, not carpet."

mike stood up straight, taller than richie even on the step behind the counter. "since when did you have a player of your own, anyways?"

richie shook his head, "not for me, it's a gift."

the fluorescent lights against the brightly colored comics made mike's eyes hurt after working all day. he thought looking at richie was a lot calmer. he wasn't upset that they hadn't talked in a while, he never thought richie forgot about him, he understood people get busy. mike's glad richie stumbled into the record shop earlier, and that they were the type of friends who could pick up where they left off. this store may hold old memories, but the night was young, and mike was ready to catch up, maybe make some new ones. 

"do you wanna go back to my house and listen to some records?" mike asked, practically blurting it out. he stumbled over some words before rubbing the back of his neck, smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "i mean, if you want."

richie nodded quickly, maybe a little too enthusiastically. he waved his hands towards mike, motioning for him to scoot awake from the counter. he did just as such, and richie jumped over it.

"smooth." mike acknowledged the skill, richie's been practicing for a while.

he flipped the light switched and slipped out the door behind mike, then locked up. it was a lot colder now, richie hunkered down in his jacket and wrapped his arms around himself.

"come on," mike smiled, throwing his head in the direction where the car was parked. "we can listen to the cure."

richie picked up his pace, walking close to mike now. "you promise?" when he asked, the two boys he see his breath in the cold air, and it fogged up richie's glasses. mike laughed, and assured him, "i promise."

mike let the car heat up before pulling from the parking lot. he drove with the windows up, and the heat fogged the windows a bit. richie had been passenger in a lot of car lately. beverly liked to drive fast and dangerously, it was a bad habit of hers but she never seemed to stop at stop signs. unlike ben, however, who was just as a safe driver as eddie. he never started his car until richie buckled up, even if it was with an exasperated sigh. even though richie was shot gun in a car he hadn't been in for a while, it didn't feel new to him, it didn't need any getting used to, just like hanging out with mike again. he slipped right in, and laid his head against the cold glass of the window, watching the town of derry pass by under the blue raspberry sunset. 

"i'll show you in spring / it's a treacherous thing," mike sang softly under his breath to the cassette playing. he sang softly because he wanted to, just like he did everything. mike hanlon wasn't an extravagant person, he was a very under the radar type of person who did the bare minimum, but boy, did he do it well. richie always admired that about him, and how things came easy to him. the car ride reminded him of laying in the back seat of his parent's car when he was younger, street lights glaring against rain puddle in the streets. he could've nodded off if the drive wasn't so short.

the two used the back door of the hanlon house hold as entrance and richie made extra careful to step over mike's dog as they sneaked to mike's room. as soon as mike softly closed the door behind them, they both let out a sigh of relief and laughed at each other. mike plopped down on his bed, as there was no reason to give richie the grand tour of his room, everything was exactly as he remembered it. the wall close to the bed had milk crates stacked on top of each other, from floor to ceiling, filled with books and vinyls. 

mike sat up to slip the record onto the player, which gave richie just enough space to squeeze next to him on the bed. he set the needle down and the comforting crackle that accompanied the beginning of a record never failed to put richie at ease. the two boys sunk into the bed after the first song finished, richie dreaded getting to comfortable because one of them would have to sit up to flip the record over. for now, he squinted his eyes and traced glow in the dark star constellations on the ceiling with his index finger.

"hey, rich," mike whispered. he turned to look a richie, but he was busy outlining the little dipper. 

"do you remember the last time you were here?"

richie remembered very well. it was the night of a day that didn't go very well. the argument him and his mom had wasn't over anything important, but she was too intoxicated to hear his side. she threw an empty bottle in his direction, and luckily missed, the broken glass pieces scattered the living room carpet behind richie. his mom broke down to her knees and tears form in her eyes as she apologized immediately after, but he didn't stay listen. he rode his bike to mike's, the tears streaming down his face were hot but the wind blowing in his direction was cold. he waited on the picnic white fence and smoked an entire pack of cigarettes while he waited for mike's car to pull into the drive way. richie didn't explain or speak very much at all, but mike tried his best to comfort him.

but richie just said, "yeah, i remember."

mike laughed softly, sitting up, now. "you stayed for like a week," and his parents never bothered to call around to see which friend's house he was staying at. "you helped with all the farm work, you borrowed all of my clothes."

riche laughed too. "yeah, i taught mr. chips how to play dead."

"and high five!" mike recalled.

"we went swimming in that lake, remember?"

"in the cold of the night and were sick for the rest of the month? yeah, i remember."

and they kissed that night, too. after they ran back to mike's car, dripping wet. they laughed for what felt like hours, surprised they both went through with actually jumping in the ice cold water that time of year. they became so close that week and they stared at each other with furrowed brows in mike's car, trying to comprehend the fact that there was another person - another living, breathing person - the truly understood them. there was a pair of bright eyes that made richie feel like he was at home. the windows of the car were fogged with warmth and richie's felt like his face was burning, the air between them becoming more compacted and harder to inhale. in a matter of seconds, the laughter stopped and their lips pressed together.

but neither of the boys chose to recall that moment out loud.

richie sat up and yawned, stretching his arms out. he looked at the sleeves of his jacket as he reached for the sky. a worn, denim jacket, where holes were began to form on the elbows due to old age. what a coincidence that he would bump into mike today while wearing the jacket he never returned. 

"who's the record for, anyways? you said it was a gift?" mike asked.

"oh, it's for bill," richie answered, raising his glasses to rub his sleepy eyes.

mike nodded, even though richie couldn't see him. he picked at the frays of his ripped jeans as a cocktail of regret and jealous stirred in his stomach. it was him who leaned in to the kiss that night, and he hoped it would convey everything he felt for richie then. he was okay at speaking his mind, but his heart seemed to speak a different language. mike never told richie is exactly what that kiss was supposed to mean, and as close as the boys became that faithful week, they drifted apart even quicker. mike was confused and didn't want to hurt richie, so he strayed far, far away.

the only noise in the room was robert smith playing softly. "i'm not dating him or anything, if that's what you think." richie spoke up, sitting at the edge of the bed now.

mike nodded again, that was all he needed to hear.

"i kissed her face and kissed her head / and dreamed of all the different ways i had / to make her glow," 

he cleared his throat and richie turned to him. there had to be some reason they bumped into each other today, and mike wasn't going to let this chance get away from him again. he pulled the unsuspecting boy by the borrowed jacket collar and pressed their lips together. the kiss was so much more than mike had hoped for, all those times he spent thinking of richie over the year were incomparable this this one moment. 

"why are you so far away?" she said / "why won't you ever know that i'm in love with you / that i'm in love with you,"

it was passionate, intimate. it felt as though they were the only two in the world, as if they never drifted apart. richie sighed against mike's mouth, letting his body melt against the other boy's. they were as close as two humans could possibly be but mike's hand didn't move from the collar of richie's jacket, begging for more, more, more. 

"you / soft and only / you,"

they pulled away just slightly enough for richie to slip his tongue from between his lips. "you know," richie whispered softly against mike's lower lip, breath warm. "i was never mad at you," mike whimpered under his breath, nodding slowly against richie. 

"lost and lonely / you,"

mike kissed richie as if he could suck all the negative energy the boy ever experienced out of his body. the kiss was so deep, both felt a shiver through their spines, bodies drawn together magnetically. they kissed with fervor, mike cupping richie's face in his hands. "good," he whispered into richie's mouth. 

they unfortunately had to pull away to breath but they were light and hazey, their heads spinning in the best kind of way. the long await kiss was rushed and messy, lips were skewed and felt like they were bruising now. they would have a chance to try again, and again, and again, but to them, that one, intense kiss, felt just like heaven.


End file.
